Roses rambling

       I am about to do something that I promised

myself that I would not do and that is to write a

politically partisan post.  No one should know better

than I the possibility of becoming a target for scorn

from both Democrats and Republicans.  I am not  a

true Independent voter.  I choose from both major parties .  I

will try to explain my affiliation. 

        I was born into and raised in a house divided.  I

know,  I know,  someone famous said that " a house

divided cannot stand".  But my parents marriage lasted

over half a century and stood the test of time with one

being a staunch Democrat and the other an equally

staunch Republican.   This must have started eons

ago when one family fought in the Civil War for the

South ,  while the other battled for the North.   In one

family,  loyalties were so divided that one brother was

a Yankee,  while the other was a Rebel.  Coming from

a state split down the middle by the Mason-Dixon line,

it is small wonder that loyalties and families are divided

on political issues. 

        My own home was the scene of some fierce

debating,  with no one ever coming out the winner.  My

sister and I soon learned not to take sides and  keep

our opinions to ourselves.   We loved mother and

father equally and realized that they were competing

for our allegiance to each ones political persuasion.

We were closely watched for any comment that might

assure one or the other that they had made a niche

in their daughter's determination to remain neutral. 

Believe me, this was difficult to do,  with tongues often

being bit to prevent a quick retort.  If tempers flared, we

became adept at pouring oil on troubled waters,  so to

speak.   We knew these arguments,  though heated,

would soon pass without permanent damage to their

relationship.  We learned the art of conciliation,

 mediation and diplomacy right in our own home.  Mainly,

we kept our mouths shut.

          When I reached voting age,  I felt that it was my

duty to vote and I wanted to, but I did not want to choose

sides and alienate either side.   So,  I registered as an

Independent.  When I married ,  my husband respected

my right to be whatever I chose, though he was from

a united family.  So I remained an Independent for many

years until he convinced me that it was foolish to only

vote in the final election, and miss out on the primary.

I always tried to decide my votes upon issues and the

stands taken by the candidates,  not necessarily the

party affiliation.   Sometimes, we disagreed and we

may have killed each others vote a few times.  I tried

to make informed decisions ,  just not telling my parents

who I had voted for.   They might tell us their reasons for

supporting someone, but did not put any undue pressure

upon me to go their way.  Both families enjoyed playing

politics  and big families carried some prestige with

pollitical candidates who vied for their support.  They

had a strong voice in community affairs and county

elections. 

        I soon realized that I needed to affiliate with one

of the major parties.  Some things I liked about each

of them and I knew good people in both parties.  I did

prefer one party over the other,  and I finally changed

my registration in order to vote in the primary.  I am

not sure if either of my parents ever knew I had changed,

or if they did they prefered not to acknowledge it. 

         Does my vote matter?   That is a question I have

often asked myself.   Perhaps in elections as close as

the ones we have been having,  the middle-of-the-road

voter may achieve some importance.  Will both sides

go after the undecided voter?  I have to admit that there

is a lot I do not understand in the current election,  with

super delegates,  etc.  I do believe that every vote is

important.  We must make informed decisions because

it is of utmost importance to our country,  now as never

before, and I urge every citizen to vote their conscience

and pray for our nation.